Thomas, we now know, will make $197,800 this season — making him the sixth-highest paid player on the team. He signed for a base salary of $187,800, so it’s safe to presume the $10,000 difference was part or all of a signing bonus (since he hasn’t been around long enough to earn a marketing bonus).

Rapids hang a banner in honor of the shooting victims in Aurora before Saturday's game against Real Salt Lake in Utah.

The Rapids’ freefall into insignificance in the MLS playoff race continued against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, on Saturday night as Colorado dropped its fifth straight match. With the loss, the Rapids officially surrendered the Rocky Mountain Cup to RSL for a sixth consecutive season.

Although the Rapids starting XI more closely resembled the B-squad lineups former coach Gary Smith ran out against CONCACAF Champions League competition last season, this match was a microcosm of the 2012 MLS season, as the Rapids failed to finish goal-scoring chances, and were punished for defensive mistakes, losing 2-0.

This installment of Rapids player ratings come courtesy of Craig de Aragon, a longtime Rapids fan, committee member with the Class VI supporters group and current Rapids correspondent on the “Around The League” show on the Champions Soccer Radio Network:

There is something so quaint and whimsical about the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With the makeshift playing fields, the one-camera webstream broadcast, and its junior varsity-level commentary, all that was missing was the sepia filter.

The Rapids were not in the daydreaming spirit, though, as things quickly turned from bad to nightmarish for the second-division Tampa Bay Rowdies as 33 minutes in they were already down 2 goals. Two late tallies, one for each side, and the Rapids were on to the 4th round, which MLS clubs have found hard to achieve in this upset-filled version of the U.S. Open Cup.

Andre Akpan started against Montreal on Saturday. And he was one of three Rapids forwards to travel to Tampa Bay.

The U.S. Open Cup is a difficult juggle for MLS sides, the Rapids included. How much effort should be employed in games against second-division North American Soccer League teams? Fans though (many of them) love the tournament — it’s the oldest still-alive stateside soccer tournament, dating back to 1914. History propels it.

Tampa Bay Rowdies coach Ricky Hill also likely is pushed by the historic nature of the tournament. As a standout for Luton Town in 1985 (a then-top division team in England), Hill scored a goal against Everton in the semifinals of England’s FA Cup that is still remembered among Hatters fans today:

The Colorado Rapids released their protected list for the MLS expansion draft yesterday and the most universal reaction from supporters and media alike was: Why is Danny Earls protected?

Before we jump to any conclusions about this list of players from which the expansion Montreal Impact will pick, it is important to note the tweet from Craig de Aragón, who points out the Rapids last season had a deal lined up before the expansion draft to have Anthony Wallace drafted and immediately dealt back.

Also of note: Interesting to see Rapids midfielder Wells Thompson, who is not protected, retweeting the tweets of people voicing frustration with that decision.

Daniel was first introduced to soccer at age 6 while living in Düsseldorf, West Germany. He played youth soccer in West Germany until age 9, and then in Seattle, where he is originally from. He works as the day breaking news editor and also contributes on the Rapids beat.